To Have and To Clothe Until Death Do Us Part
To Have and To Clothe Until Death Do Us Part

Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2018
Framed Giclee Print
14" x 10.5"
Edition of 25 + 5 AP

VIEW ALL

United in Love
United in Love

Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2018
Archival Chromogenic Print, Pressed Aluminum, Velvet, Resin Box
Edition of 10 + 1 AP

VIEW ALL

United in Love
United in Love

Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2018
Archival Chromogenic Print, Pressed Aluminum, Velvet, Resin Box
Edition of 10 + 1 AP

VIEW ALL

Fate is a Cruel Mistress
Fate is a Cruel Mistress

Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2017
Archival Giclée Print on Archival paper
Paper size: 11” x 14”
Framed size: 16” x 19”
Edition of 25 with 5 AP

VIEW ALL

Delilah
Delilah

From the series Fate is a Cruel Mistress
Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2017
Archival Giclée Print on Archival Paper
Paper size: 11” x 14”
Framed size: 16” x 19”
Edition of 25 with 5 AP

VIEW ALL

Jezebel
Jezebel

From the series Fate is a Cruel Mistress
Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2017
Archival Giclée Print on Archival Paper
Paper size: 11” x 14”
Framed size: 16” x 19”
Edition of 25 with 5 AP

VIEW ALL

Judith
Judith

From the series Fate is a Cruel Mistress
Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2017
Archival Giclée Print on Archival Paper
Paper size: 11” x 14”
Framed size: 16” x 19”
Edition of 25 with 5 AP

VIEW ALL

Potiphar's Wife
Potiphar's Wife

From the series Fate is a Cruel Mistress
Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2017
Archival Giclée Print on Archival Paper
Paper size: 11” x 14”
Framed size: 16” x 19”
Edition of 25 with 5 AP

VIEW ALL

Salome
Salome

From the series Fate is a Cruel Mistress
Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2017
Archival Giclée Print on Archival Paper
Paper size: 11” x 14”
Framed size: 16” x 19”
Edition of 25 with 5 AP

VIEW ALL

The Emergence of a Legend (1/5)
The Emergence of a Legend (1/5)

Kent Monkman in collaboration with photographer Christopher Chapman & makeup artist Jackie Shawn
2006
Series of five photographs (chromogenic prints on metallic paper)
Photo size: 4.5" x 6.5"
Framed size: 16" x 13.25"
Signed edition of 25 with 5 proofs

The studio portraits, shot, printed and framed to emulate antique daguerrotypes, feature my alter ego Miss Chief Eagle Testickle in various performance guises. The photos trace the history of Aboriginal performance culture — more specifically “Indians” performing for a European audience.

Near left: Miss Chief as a performer in George Catlin’s Gallery that toured Europe in the 1850’s. Catlin’s Gallery was a precursor to the Wild West Shows.

VIEW ALL

The Emergence of a Legend (2/5)
The Emergence of a Legend (2/5)

see first portrait for description of work

(continued) Throughout my work in various mediums, the persona of Miss Chief challenges the authoritative version of history by playing the starring role in “period” photographs, silent era films and romantic paintings.

Left: Miss Chief as Vaudeville performer. After the popularity of the Wild West shows waned, many Aboriginal performers transitioned their performance careers onto the Vaudeville stage. This photo is styled closely after a photo of one vaudeville performer, Molly Spotted Elk, who also danced in all-female revues in Paris in the 1920’s.

VIEW ALL

The Emergence of a Legend (3/5)
The Emergence of a Legend (3/5)

see first portrait for description of work

(continued) Through this re-imaging of history, missing narratives are explored as Miss Chief subverts the authority of the often flamboyant artists who created images of Aboriginal people in the 19th century.

Left: Miss Chief as Cindy Silverscreen, a fictitious Hollywood silent film starlet in references to the transition of Aboriginal performers from the stage to the silver screen. Also references the fake names given to Aboriginal actors (Harold J. Smith became Jay Silverheels, most famous for his role as Tonto).

VIEW ALL

The Emergence of a Legend (4/5)
The Emergence of a Legend (4/5)

see first portrait for description of work

With a showmanship that rivals that of nineteenth century artists like George Catlin and Edward Curtis, Miss Chief challenges the subjectivity of their work by calling into question personal motivations, career ambitions and ego (“Eagle Testickle” plays on “egotistical”).

Left: Miss Chief as movie director poses with bullhorn and camera in front of a backdrop of Monument Valley. This references the Hollywood Western, specifically The Searchers, one of the most racist Westerns ever made.

VIEW ALL

The Emergence of a Legend (5/5)
The Emergence of a Legend (5/5)

see previous image for description of work

The title of the photo series references the construction of an artist’s own mythologies. In the 5 portraits I explore the emergence of Miss Chief as a performer by imagining her in different performative roles across time.

Left: Miss Chief as The Trapper’s Bride imagined as a performer in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, like a Cree Annie Oakley (also in reference to the Cree brides who married the French trappers — the mothers of the Metis Nation).

VIEW ALL

How Could You Break Your Promise
How Could You Break Your Promise

2011
Archival Giclée Print
18.5" x 10.5"

VIEW ALL

We Agreed to Share, Not Surrender
We Agreed to Share, Not Surrender

2011
Archival Giclée Print
18.5" x 10.5"

VIEW ALL

We Had An Agreement
We Had An Agreement

2011
Archival Giclée Print
15.75" x 10.5"

VIEW ALL

To Have and To Clothe Until Death Do Us Part
United in Love
United in Love
Fate is a Cruel Mistress
Delilah
Jezebel
Judith
Potiphar's Wife
Salome
The Emergence of a Legend (1/5)
The Emergence of a Legend (2/5)
The Emergence of a Legend (3/5)
The Emergence of a Legend (4/5)
The Emergence of a Legend (5/5)
How Could You Break Your Promise
We Agreed to Share, Not Surrender
We Had An Agreement
To Have and To Clothe Until Death Do Us Part

Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2018
Framed Giclee Print
14" x 10.5"
Edition of 25 + 5 AP

VIEW ALL

United in Love

Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2018
Archival Chromogenic Print, Pressed Aluminum, Velvet, Resin Box
Edition of 10 + 1 AP

VIEW ALL

United in Love

Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2018
Archival Chromogenic Print, Pressed Aluminum, Velvet, Resin Box
Edition of 10 + 1 AP

VIEW ALL

Fate is a Cruel Mistress

Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2017
Archival Giclée Print on Archival paper
Paper size: 11” x 14”
Framed size: 16” x 19”
Edition of 25 with 5 AP

VIEW ALL

Delilah

From the series Fate is a Cruel Mistress
Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2017
Archival Giclée Print on Archival Paper
Paper size: 11” x 14”
Framed size: 16” x 19”
Edition of 25 with 5 AP

VIEW ALL

Jezebel

From the series Fate is a Cruel Mistress
Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2017
Archival Giclée Print on Archival Paper
Paper size: 11” x 14”
Framed size: 16” x 19”
Edition of 25 with 5 AP

VIEW ALL

Judith

From the series Fate is a Cruel Mistress
Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2017
Archival Giclée Print on Archival Paper
Paper size: 11” x 14”
Framed size: 16” x 19”
Edition of 25 with 5 AP

VIEW ALL

Potiphar's Wife

From the series Fate is a Cruel Mistress
Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2017
Archival Giclée Print on Archival Paper
Paper size: 11” x 14”
Framed size: 16” x 19”
Edition of 25 with 5 AP

VIEW ALL

Salome

From the series Fate is a Cruel Mistress
Kent Monkman in collaboration with Chris Chapman
2017
Archival Giclée Print on Archival Paper
Paper size: 11” x 14”
Framed size: 16” x 19”
Edition of 25 with 5 AP

VIEW ALL

The Emergence of a Legend (1/5)

Kent Monkman in collaboration with photographer Christopher Chapman & makeup artist Jackie Shawn
2006
Series of five photographs (chromogenic prints on metallic paper)
Photo size: 4.5" x 6.5"
Framed size: 16" x 13.25"
Signed edition of 25 with 5 proofs

The studio portraits, shot, printed and framed to emulate antique daguerrotypes, feature my alter ego Miss Chief Eagle Testickle in various performance guises. The photos trace the history of Aboriginal performance culture — more specifically “Indians” performing for a European audience.

Near left: Miss Chief as a performer in George Catlin’s Gallery that toured Europe in the 1850’s. Catlin’s Gallery was a precursor to the Wild West Shows.

VIEW ALL

The Emergence of a Legend (2/5)

see first portrait for description of work

(continued) Throughout my work in various mediums, the persona of Miss Chief challenges the authoritative version of history by playing the starring role in “period” photographs, silent era films and romantic paintings.

Left: Miss Chief as Vaudeville performer. After the popularity of the Wild West shows waned, many Aboriginal performers transitioned their performance careers onto the Vaudeville stage. This photo is styled closely after a photo of one vaudeville performer, Molly Spotted Elk, who also danced in all-female revues in Paris in the 1920’s.

VIEW ALL

The Emergence of a Legend (3/5)

see first portrait for description of work

(continued) Through this re-imaging of history, missing narratives are explored as Miss Chief subverts the authority of the often flamboyant artists who created images of Aboriginal people in the 19th century.

Left: Miss Chief as Cindy Silverscreen, a fictitious Hollywood silent film starlet in references to the transition of Aboriginal performers from the stage to the silver screen. Also references the fake names given to Aboriginal actors (Harold J. Smith became Jay Silverheels, most famous for his role as Tonto).

VIEW ALL

The Emergence of a Legend (4/5)

see first portrait for description of work

With a showmanship that rivals that of nineteenth century artists like George Catlin and Edward Curtis, Miss Chief challenges the subjectivity of their work by calling into question personal motivations, career ambitions and ego (“Eagle Testickle” plays on “egotistical”).

Left: Miss Chief as movie director poses with bullhorn and camera in front of a backdrop of Monument Valley. This references the Hollywood Western, specifically The Searchers, one of the most racist Westerns ever made.

VIEW ALL

The Emergence of a Legend (5/5)

see previous image for description of work

The title of the photo series references the construction of an artist’s own mythologies. In the 5 portraits I explore the emergence of Miss Chief as a performer by imagining her in different performative roles across time.

Left: Miss Chief as The Trapper’s Bride imagined as a performer in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, like a Cree Annie Oakley (also in reference to the Cree brides who married the French trappers — the mothers of the Metis Nation).

VIEW ALL

How Could You Break Your Promise

2011
Archival Giclée Print
18.5" x 10.5"

VIEW ALL

We Agreed to Share, Not Surrender

2011
Archival Giclée Print
18.5" x 10.5"

VIEW ALL

We Had An Agreement

2011
Archival Giclée Print
15.75" x 10.5"

VIEW ALL

show thumbnails